This invention relates to a grip which cushions a ball bat holder's palm, heel of the hand, and fingertips. The grip also enables the ball bat holder to hang the lower portion of his hand off the knob of the ball bat. In multiples of two, the invention can be used as a "choke up" method.
A ball bat has a cylindrically-shaped barrel that tapers to a narrower handle section, to which is attached an enlarged disk-shaped knob, which acts as a resting point for the heel of the bat holder's lower hand as it grips the handle.
Forces created when a swung bat hits a ball can cause severe discomfort to the bat holder's palm, heel of the hand and fingertips. This "bat sting" is felt at the knob end of the bat, which generally is made of wood or aluminum. Bat holders have tried wrapping tape around the knob end (sometimes attempting to form a tapered configuration) to increase its "give" and thereby reduce discomfort. However, taping a bat, which requires patience and dexterity, is time-consuming and expensive; in addition, it must be redone on a regular basis. Further, taping a bat does not create a dependable, tapered grip for superior performance.
Numerous after-market devices have been developed to diminish "bat sting" and/or improve grip comfort. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,114 (Kelsey) discloses a shock-dampening sleeve which covers all or part of the knob. However, the product cushions only the heel of the hand and does not produce a tapered grip. An unpatented product by Easton.RTM. is comprised of a thin tube of flexible material (which may tear when pulled over the knob) which must be wrapped with lengths of synthetic grip material.
In addition, bat manufacturers themselves have fabricated bats with special handles to provide more comfortable gripping. Worth.RTM. makes a bat with a smaller-than-average knob for players who use the lower portion of the knob for a gripping reference or the "double-fisted" grip. Mizuno.RTM. used to make a bat with an enlarged knob having a tapered region from the knob to the handle. However, a ball player must purchase the whole bat to obtain the desired gripping reference.
A need exists for a tapered gripping reference which is easy to install on and remove from any standard ball bat.